Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-23

From Store and Hardware.
Undoubtedly many nres Of apparently mystef-
ious origin have been caused By spontaneous COM
bustion. Some very interesting examples OF spon-
famous ignition have been recently published,
which might have ended In serious CONGREGATIONS
If they had not been discovered in time TO prevent
them. In q mandatory OF plane bits In Chicago,
sponge has been used to transfer the water BY
wheel on which the bits were ground. the sponge
and they were collected In the cells OF the sponge
asS wess 81 ssS asy
discovered that the mass was spontaneously
ignited. and 1t had not been for its timely disco
very another mysterious f1re might have resulted.
In factory in New Jersey where oiled stock for
planes was operited on BY boring, planning, and
particles OF wood. which were saturated with lin.
seed OIL to collect on the floors 1t was noticed that
great increase in the temperature took place
when the sweepings which had been moistened
by sprinkling, were collected In pile. On sub.
seQuent occasion 1t was found that q barrel Of
snayngs and chips from the boring and mort;sing
Ignite. Another barrel contained shav1ngs made
In planning Oil stocks On these being mOistened
perature continued to rise until the next DAY, when
II was found that the shavings began to char. The
barrel was covered with q metal plate until the
next day, when. on being disturbed, the mass
number OF bales OF Sea Island cotton stored in
warehouse IN New Jersey were found to be on
It would start at another. The cotton had been
g1nned on q roller gin, which, in cracking p0r-
ton OF the seed had caused the OIL in the seed TO
become mixed with the cotton, and the result was
spontaneous ignition. In the manufacture Of q
cement or putty composed of whiting and boiled
linseed OIL, which, after being ground In q mill,
was put in barrels, IRE was discovered under
one OF the barrels standing on end. The door was
partially burned through when the discovery was
made. In grinding the oil the mass became warm
from the friction and small part OF the oil had
leaked through the common barrels while in this
warm state. 1t was discovered In time to prevent
much damage.
An engineer placed q bunch Of waste-which
had collected In cleaning up mill-in front Of q
boiler In order that the fireman could use It the
next morning In starting up the I1re. During the
night 1t spontaneously gnted, set fire to the kind
l1ngs which had been made ready for the morn
Ing, and raised steam sufficient to blow on and
alarm the Waterman. Some years since q gentle
man was experimental in coloring Southern
moss for decorative purposes. In one of his ex-
per1mentS he used very thin paint or varn1sh,
but slightly covered with pigment. He dipped
the moss In the mixture and then squeezed out as
much as possible by hand. The result not prov.
ing satisfactory, he threw the moss In q box, and
placed 1t In q closet. few days after the odor
of something burning led to the discovery that the
moss was charred and almost ready TO ignite
KILLED HIMSELF WHILE HUNTING QuAII.-At
WesthamptOn, L. l., John W. Newton accidentally
shot himself yesterday while reloadng his gun.
The charge passed through his heart and he died
Ia onf uyifh a